
28
SABBATH SCHOOL LESSON QUARTERLY
bondage. The Author of the Sabbath swept away their tradi-
tions, arid taught the people true Sabbath keeping. The follow-
ing from Edersheim gives a few of the many traditions with
which the Pharisees had surrounded the Sabbath, till its true
object was lost:
"Next, certain regulations are laid down to guide the Jew
when dressing •on the Sabbath morning, so as to prevent his
breaking its rest. Hence he must be careful not to_ put on any
dress which might become burdensome, nor to wear any 'orna-
ment which he might put off and carry in his hand, for this would
be a 'burden.' A woman must not wear s4ich headgear as
would require unloosing before taking a bath, nor go out with
such ornaments as could be taken off in the street, such as a
frontlet, unless it is attached to the cap, nor with a gold crown,
nor with a necklace or nose ring, nor with rings, nor have a
pin in her dress. The reason for this prohibition of ornaments
was, that in their vanity women might take them off to show
them to their companions, and then, forgetful of the day, carry
them, which would be a 'burden!
.
Women are also forbidden
to look in the glass on the Sabbath, because they might discover
a white hair and attempt to pull it out, which would be a
grievous sin ; but men ought not to use looking-glasses even
on week days, because this was undignified. A woman may
walk about her own court, but not in the street, with false hair."
"A plaster might be worn, provided its object was to prevent
the wound getting worse, not to heal it, for that would have
been a work. Ornaments which could not easily be taken off
might be worn in one's courtyard. Similarly, a person might go
about with wadding in his ear, but not with false teeth, nor
with a7 gold plug in the tooth. If the wadding fell out of the
ear, it could not be replaced."
"If a woman were to roll wheat to take away the husks, she
would be guilty of sifting with a sieve. If she were rubbing the
ends of the stalks, she would be guilty of threshing. If she were
cleaning what adheres to the side of a stalk, she would be
guilty of sifting. If she were bruising the stalk, she would be
guilty of grinding. If she were throwing it up in her hands,
she would be guilty of winnowing. Distinctions like the following
are made : A /radish may be dipped into salt, but not left
in it too long, since this would be to make pickle. A new dress
might be put on, irrespective of the danger that in so doing
it might be torn. Mud on the dress might be crushed in the
hand and shaken off, but the dress might not be rubbed (for
fear of affecting the material). If a person took a bath,
opinions are divided, whether the whole body should be dried at
once, or limb after limb. If the water had fallen on the dress,
some allowed the dress to be shaken but not wrung; others,